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SBE Names Three Members to Fellow

Frank Giardina, Ted Hand and Robert Hoffman Earn the Honor

April 25, 2017

NAB Show, Las Vegas, NV - The Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) has elevated three members to the membership rank of Fellow. The SBE Board of Directors elected Frank Giardina, CPBE; Ted Hand, CPBE, 8-VSB, AMD, DRB; and Robert Hoffman, CPBE; at its meeting held Sunday, April 23 in Las Vegas during the 2017 NAB Show.

Frank Giardina is the director of engineering/IT for the Cumulus Media Birmingham, AL, market. His interest in electronics and radio began when he was a child when he started a radio repair shop in the family garage, where he worked on radios for relatives and friends. This eventually led to his first summer job in a local radio/TV repair shop. Frank obtained his amateur novice test at age 12, then his Technician License, and then his First Class Radiotelephone Operator License at 16. He currently holds an Extra Class license, WA4FG. His career includes working in Dallas as a component test technician at Rockwell-Collins before returning to Birmingham to work at stations including WAQY, WBRC-AM/FM, WSGN, WAPI-AM/FM, WZRR and WJOX. He is a past chair of SBE Chapter 68 Birmingham, and is currently frequency coordinator. He is an instructor in the Alabama Broadcasters Association’s Engineering Academy, teaching AM and FM transmission and reception.

Ted Hand is director of engineering/operations at WSOC-TV, Charlotte, NC, Cox Media Group. His TV career began at WTVZ and then WAVY in Norfolk, VA. He has also worked for Capitol Broadcasting in Raleigh, NC; and WTKR and then WGNT in Hampton Roads, VA. Ted has been active in SBE Chapter 54 Hampton Roads, VA, for many years, serving the chapter as webmaster, where his efforts were recognized in the SBE Awards program in 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2010. He is also active in SBE Chapter 45 Charlotte, NC. In 2016, both chapters honored Ted with their Chapter Engineering of the Year awards. Ted served 11 of 14 years on the SBE Board of Directors, with his last term ending in 2016. He was secretary for five of those years. He has served on the SBE's Executive Committee, and he has chaired the SBE Frequency Coordination Committee.

Robert Hoffman is the chief engineer of Hubbard Radio St. Louis and stations WIL-FM, WARH-FM and WXOS-FM. His first job in radio was the on-air producer for The Teen Show at WINI in Murphysboro, IL in 1971. He quickly became a morning and afternoon host, and operations and music director there. His radio career has taken him to stations in Mt Vernon, IL, and Cape Girardeau, MO, before he moved to St Louis in 1985, then moved away, and returned to St. Louis in 1992. He has worked for the same stations for more than 19 years, through which he has also worked for three owners. He is active in Chapter 55 St. Louis as the Meeting Coordination and Program Chair, a role he has filled since 1995.

In the nomination for Frank Giardina, one person wrote, "Frank's guidance, advice, extraordinary technical expertise, and insistence on perfection have helped me build six radio stations. He has also had great positive influence on many new engineers. His dedication and unwavering high standards are surely a reflection of what the SBE represents."

In Ted Hand's nomination, one endorser wrote, "I [have] had several opportunities to talk to Ted about broadcast engineering-related topics and the SBE, and found him to be a most talented and experienced broadcast engineer and committed to the goals of our society, the developing and advancement of the broadcast engineer." Another endorser wrote, "His is a great support to others in the industry and is always willing to impart his knowledge to those less experienced."

In Robert Hoffman's nomination, an endorser wrote, "Robert's biggest accomplishment is staying abreast of changes and technology of current radio." In addition, "Bob is always willing to help other people. At any time, anyone who calls him, Bob will go out of his way to help."

"Our newest Fellow members exhibit the outstanding qualities of outstanding broadcast engineers worthy of the Society's highest member grade," said Jerry Massey, CPBE, 8-VSB, AMD, DRB, CBNT, president of the Society of Broadcast Engineers. "Each has taken his own unique path to success in broadcast engineering, and I congratulate them on this recognition."

The Fellow honor is the highest membership level in the SBE. Members must have made significant contributions to the broadcast engineering field or the SBE. Candidates are nominated by their peers. Since the Society's founding more than 50 years ago, 75 members have been honored with the Fellow rank.

The three recipients will be recognized for their election to Fellow during the SBE National Awards Dinner on Oct. 26, 2017, in Denver, during the annual SBE National Meeting, which will be held in conjunction with the Rocky Mountain AV Expo.